Low-Key Fun in West Seattle

Sun and sand at Alki Beach Park

John Granen

Good food, cool shops, and a sandy beach make Seattle’s laid-back cousin a great place to hang out

Molly Lori

They share the same area code, but Seattle and West Seattle are worlds apart. Think of West Seattle―especially the strip of shops and restaurants on California Avenue near Alaska Street―as Seattle’s laid-back cousin, the one who always tries to hide while a group picture is being taken. Absent is the hustle and bustle of downtown Seattle, but West Seattle’s got an energy all its own.

Info. From downtown Seattle, take I-5 south to the West Seattle Bridge exit and Fauntleroy Way S.W. Turn right on S.W. Alaska St. to California Ave. S.W. www.wsjunction.com or 206/935-0904.

SHOP

Capers Home. A furniture, gifts, and home accessories store where you can pick up anything from argyle-patterned ottomans to cookbooks from San Francisco’s Boulevard restaurant. Open daily. 4521 California Ave. S.W.; 206/932-0371.

In Bloom Home & Garden. A garden store perfect for first-timers. “We sell a lot of plants that thrive on neglect,” says the store’s co-owner Bonita Corliss, who often recommends prayer plants. Open daily. 4437 California Ave. S.W.; 206/932-2588.

Alki Beach Park. An actual sandy beach where you and the family can catch some rays or play paddleball. Only the brave or the very young go swimming in chilly Elliott Bay, though. 1702 Alki Ave. S.W.; www.seattle.gov/parks or 206/684-4075.